Draft-gear for cars



(No Model.)

A. BRAUER & W. KELSO.

DRAFT GEAR FOR CARS.

N0.'581,19Z. Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

mmvs n'roni,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ALBERT BRAUER, OF PITCAIRN, AND W'ILLIAIWI KELSO, OF PITTSBURGPENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO ANDREW J. DRAKE. AND MICHAEL J.MOMANN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-G EAR FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,192, dated April20, 1897'. Application filed February 16, 1897. Serial No. 623,599. (Nomodel.)

. in connection with a draft-yoke connection to the coupler, said partsbeing so constructed and arranged as to permit of the removal of thespring-box without detaching the yoke from the coupler.

It is afnrther object of theinvention to provide a brace or support toprevent any buckling or bending of the yoke when an anxiliarybuffing-spring is employed.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction andcombination substantially as hereinafter more f ully described andclaimed.

In the accompanyingv drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure l is a sectional elevation of a draft mechanism having ourimprovements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View of thesame. Fig. 3 is a transverse section, the plane of section beingindicated by the line III III, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a perspective viewof the spring-box and its detachable guide.

In the practice of the invention a coupler 1 of any suitable form orconstruction is employed, and to the barrel of the coupler are securedthe ends of the draft yoke or loop 2, preferably by means of rivets 3.The solid spring-box 4 is arranged between the reins or sides of theyoke or 100p, whichis guided in its back-and-forth movements byshoulders or blocks 5 and 5, the latter being on opposite sides of thebox, while the blocks 5 are formed integral with a band 6, which servesto hold. them in proper position on opposite sides of the box, as shownin Figs. 3 and 4. The box is held in the mortises in the sides of thecenter sills of the cars by bolts 7, passing through the sills and box.Before placing the box in position in the yoke or loop, sleeves 8 8,provided with heads or enlargements 9 9, are inserted in openings in theends of the box in such direction that the heads will be within the box.Combined draft and buffing springs 10 are placed in the box between theheads 9 9 and are held in such position by a pin 11, passing through thesleeves and springs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This pin is made of alength equal to the distance between thebarrel of the coupler and theend of the yoke, as shown its front end being preferably provided with ahead 11, against which the end of the sleeve 8 bears. The outer end ofthe sleeve 8 bears against the end of the yoke or loop. The sleeves,springs, and pin having been placed in position in the box, the latteris slid laterally into yoke or loop, and the band 6, with the shouldersor blocks 5, is placed in position and the entire draft mechanismsecured in position between the center sills of the car by the bolts 7.

When it is desired to use auxiliary buffingsprings 12, they arepreferably arranged in a collapsible case consisting of the shells 13and 14, one fitting within the other. This case, with its containedspring, is interposed between the rear end of the yoke or loop and abuffing-timber 15, arranged transversely of the longitudinal sills ofthe car. The case is held in position by a bar 16, passing through aloop 17, formed 011 the outer shell of the case and secured at its endsto the center sills of the car-frame.

Any buckling or bending of the yoke or loop by reason of the resistancepresented by the auxiliary springs 12 during buffing is prevented by thepin 11, which, as heretofore stated, bears at its ends against thecouplerbarrel and the end of the yoke or loop, thereby forming a rigidbrace for the latter.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that while anefficient guide for the yoke or loop is formed by the shoulders orblocks the removability of one pair of blocks permits of the removal ofthe solid box from the yoke or loop without detaching the latter fromthe coupler-barrel.

WVe claim herein as our invention- 1. In a draft mechanism, thecombination of a coupler, a draft yoke or loop secured to the couplerand a solid spring-box provided with removable guide-blocks, therebypermitting of the box being inserted in and removed from the yoke orloop without detaching the latter from the coupler, substantially as setforth.

2. I11 a draft mechanism, the combination of acoupler, a draft yoke orloop secured to the coupler, an auxiliary spring arranged in

